1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicles, and more specifically to, a structure for swingably mounting a hood to a vehicle such as a lawn and garden tractor.
2. Description of Related Art
Access to the engine compartment of vehicles such as lawn and garden tractors is frequently necessary for making repairs, adjustments, and/or maintaining the engine and related components. Various mounting structures have been used to secure engine hoods, some permitting lifting or swinging separations of the hood from the engine compartment and others permitting a complete removal of the hood from the tractor. Such mounting structures, many of which employ pins, bolts, and similar structures, require the use of tools to enable the hood to be raised or removed from the tractor. After removal, these mounting structures usually require that the weight of the hood be supported by the operator as it is precisely positioned for reinstallation, thereby making installation difficult.